Many avid photographers have embraced portraitures as a profession and made it their mission to capture the faces of humanity and their innate emotions. Although not the subject of portraitures, locations play a quintessential role in conveying and amplifying the emotions in portraits. Today, Gift Lee takes us on her journey to various locations and shares how to pick the right place to take the best portraits.  

Mood Boards and Models 

Unlike other photographers, the brainstorming process before a shoot is often fluid for Lee. Sometimes, she begins with a concept in mind, and continuously fine-tune these ideas during the model and location search. Other times, that research inspires new ideas for shoots. Regardless of the source of inspiration, Lee will visualise these ideas on a mood board or narrative. Lee will also look up locations on Instagram or Google Street in her search for the next best place to shoot or simply to adjust her upcoming shoots. 

"I look up the designs, decorations and colour schemes of the locations and see how they fit on my mood board. Other times, the research serves as inspiration for future projects or knowledge on how to work around limitations. However, I would recommend not to set things in stone. A good photographer is always ready to pivot and adjust according to circumstances. The photographer needs to balance between a working plan and, in other moments, going with the flow to achieve the best results," said Lee.  

"I always make a list of how many images I intend to shoot, the type of shots, the location space and size, model selection and outfits that match the vibe of the location. I would also find reference images and poses that I would be interested in - and include all of them on the mood board," said Lee.  

When working for brands and companies, Lee selects professional models for the shoots, as she finds it easier to direct them. "Experienced professional models save me time, as they are easier to manage. Whenever I do not have a stylist, I would work directly with the model. I wardrobe the models using reference images and wardrobe from the models' Instagram page. It has so far turned out well!" added Lee. To help create a more relaxed shoot environment, Lee would also provide the models with encouragement and positive affirmations on the shoot day.   

Candid Cafe 

When it comes to location, Lee prioritises comfort and cosiness as a photographer. "I prefer public spaces such as cafes that provide a comfortable home-like vibe. Cafes are also usually well-designed and put together, providing a unique look that's a great opportunity for selfies and photography. Everyone wants beautiful images with a nice backdrop and studios can be expensive for many who take photos as a hobby," quipped Lee.  

While Lee has found a profound love for shooting at cafes, she admits that there are some limitations when in those spaces. "We have to be respectful when taking photos in public spaces. The bigger the cafe, the less disruptive our photo shoot will be. Cafes are running a business and being a hindrance will cause future shoots to be unwelcome," said Lee. 

Despite these challenges, Gift Lee has workarounds to avoid them. "Picking a less crowded time is important, and lets you fully utilise the space in the cafe. You can choose to shoot at non-peak hours or avoid public spaces on weekends where there might be a crowd. It's also ideal to shoot in the early mornings or late evenings, where the natural light is also better for general photography. Windows and natural light also guarantee portraits are bright and vibrant. I'll even shoot in Hi-Continuous mode for a more natural and non-animated look," said Lee.  

Airbnb, The Outdoors and Architecture Portraits 

Apart from cafes, Lee also enjoys doing indoor portraits in great Airbnb locations. According to her, "some Airbnbs are very beautiful, and the interior can be a great alternative to cafes. Unfortunately, they are not as affordable as the price of a cup of coffee, but it certainly beats renting studios. The plus side is you get a fun staycation after the shoot!" 

"Places with greeneries, cool architectures and open spaces such as college campuses are also great for portraits. Those locations usually have a lot of architectural elements that's perfect for playful compositions, and background lights that can result in breath-taking bokeh. If I'm going for a darker and moodier look, locations with darker colour schemes and limited windows become a factor. For a light and airy vibe, I prefer a location with lots of windows and bright colours," Lee added.

Shooting portraits, however, isn't limited to the time of day. For Lee, portraits can happen anytime, anywhere, even at night. "Small streets and non-busy alleyways are my go-to places at night due to the depth-of-field effects from streetlights. That is why, choosing the right location can help your portraits stand out from the crowd," Lee said excitedly.  

When back in front of the computer, she would use editing to accentuate her images so she can make her portraits unique. "I'd scan through my images and rate them at least twice before making a final selection. I'd start with basic adjustments such as brightness, contrast, highlights, and shadows - depending on the mood and background I wanted to achieve. Next, I'll tweak the colours or even apply a colour tint or grading to experiment with the mood of the photo. Any overly saturated colours will be toned down, and I will wrap up the session by retouching the skin," said Lee.

While Gift still loves her cafe shoots, Lee still finds a place in her heart for studio portraits. "Location portraits and studio portraits have their own perks. In the studio, the photographer has full control of every photo element from furniture layout to lighting - without external interference. And because you have more control over the shoot, there's less work post-production too. However, it can be tough on a shoestring budget, and that alone makes location shoots a winner in my books. You can always work around location challenges, but a smaller budget means facing more limitations,," said Lee.